Cartridge carrier and dispenser



Oct. 1, 1963 v. CONT! CARTRIDGE CARRIER AND DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet l v Filed June 19, 1962 INVENTOR.

VINCENT CONTI AT ORNEY 1963 v. CONT! 3,105,611

CARTRIDGE CARRIER AND DISPENSER Filed June 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 74 r H xi 1/72 Fig 7 82 88 i 5e 8 w ,i/M/i/J/HH iNVENTORQ VINCENT CONTI AT ORNEY United States Patent "ice j 3,105,611 CARTRIDGE CR AND DISPENSER Vincent (Ionti, 2708 N. th St., Philadelphia 33, Pa. Filed June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 203,591 2 Claims. (Cl. 221248) This invention relates to a carrier and dispensing means for shells, cartridges and the like, and it particularly relates to a magazine-type carrier adapted to be hung on a belt or otherwise conveniently carried on the person of the user.

Magazine-type cartridge carriers have heretofore been provided. However, they were generally either overly complex, and therefore unduly expensive and d-ifiicult to maintain in good repair, or so poorly designed and constructed as to soon become ineffective under conditions of use. They, furthermore, rarely permitted effective dispensing of the cartridges into a position easily accessible to the hands of the user in proper position for immediate loading into the gun and yet retained against in-. advertent dropping to the ground.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages and difficulties of the prior art by providing a magazine-type cartridge carrier and dispenser which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construct-ion, relatively light in weight and free from unnecessary bulk, and relatively easy to use and handle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge carrier of the aforesaid type which is capable of dispensing the cartridges in a proper position for easy grasping and quick loading.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge carrier of the aforesaid type which is adapted to receive the cartridges in only one position whereby they are automatically arranged for proper dispensing.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a person wearing a belt upon which is hung a cartridge carrier embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the carrier of FIG. 1 with the front cover plate removed to reveal the inner construction of the carrier. 7

:FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view of the carrier of FIG. 2 showing the details of the filling opening and the pivoted closure means therefor.

PTG. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partially exploded, perspective view of the dispensing mechanism used in the carrier of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the dispensing means in the closed position wherein it acts to retain the cartridge within the housing of the carrier.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the dispensing means in a position wherein the cartridge is partially moved out of the housing of the carrier into a position to be grasped. I

Referring now in greater detail to the various FIG- URES of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a gunner 10 wearing a belt 12 upon which'is hung a cartridge carrier generally designated 14. The carrier 14, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, comprises a housing 16, preferably formed of moided plastic, although metal or any other desired material may be optionally used. The housing 16 includes a rear wall 18, side walls 20, upper wall 22 and 3,105,611 Patented Oct. 1, 1963 lower wall 24. These upper and lower walls each actually constitute a pair of oppositely-disposed slanted shoulders which, in the case of the upper wall, terminate in a central top aperture 26 defined by a rim 28'.

The top aperture 26 is generally rectangular but includes a widened portion or extension 30 at each front edge (as shown in FIG. 3). The aperture 26 is normally closed by a pair of swinging doors 32 pivoted on a common hinge pin 34. These doors 32 are each provided with a downwardly inclined flange 36 on the free edge, these flanges 36 being adapted to bear against the adjacent portion of the rim 28 (as best seen in FIG. 2). A coil spring 33 is wound around the hinge pin 34 and has its opposite ends bearing against the inner surfaces of the opposite doors 32 whereby it acts as a torsion spring to bias the doors into the closed position.

Within the body of the housing 16 there are provided a pair of vertically spaced bafile members 40 and 42 which are preferably molded as part of the housing itself. Each of these bafile members is of double V-shape whereby the top edge consists of two oppositely and upwardly slanted portions terminating in an upper apex and the bottom edge consists of two oppositely and downwardly slanted portions terminating in a lower apex aligned with the upper-apex. The slanted portions of the upper edges also meet with the corresponding portions of the lower edges to form an apex at each side (as best seen in FIG. 2). The two bafi le members 40 and 42 are joined by a vertical web or partition 44 also molded into the housing.

Between the baflle members 49 and 42 and extending from each side of the housing is a V-shaped indentation 46. These indentations 46 serve as intermediate baflies between the baflies 4t and 42 so that two tortuous passages are formed within the housing, one on each side of the partition 44. Each of these toi'tuou-s passages leads from the upper aperture 26 to a lower neck portion 48 which is provided centrally of thelower wall 24 (as best seen in FIG. 2). 1 a

The space in the housing immediately-above the neck 48 and below the lower bafiie '42 is separated into two parts by a separator 50 defining and separating the lower ends of the two tortuous passages. Below this separator 50 and removably positioned within the neck 48" is the dispensing unit generally designated 52 and best shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

The dispensing unit is preferably constructedof metal for rigidity and strength, but may, if desired, be made of any other feasible material and may even, if desired, be molded ofthe same :or different plastic material from that of the housing. It comprises a rectangular base plate 54 with an upstanding side wall 56 at each of its opposite longitudinal edges. The base plate is centrally slotted rearwardly, as at 58, and the major portion of the longi tudinal edges of this slot are defined by upstanding walls 60 parallel with but spaced from the corresponding walls 56 to form channels 62. The forward edge of the base plate 54 is also slightly recessed at its central portion to form forwardly projecting extensions 63 on the inner edges of which are provided upwardly extending flanges 64. The forward end of each channel 62 is partially closed by a Wall or partition 65 integral with andextending between the corresponding walls 56 and 60. The partitions 65 extend down to a position spaced from the base plate 54 to provide an aperture throughwhich extends a control finger 68'. This finger 68 is provided with a relatively low, upwardly inclined flange 76' at its front end outside the channel 62 and a relatively high, upstanding flange 72 at its rear end within the channel. The flange 72 projects above the channel and its upper portion is adapted to engage the corresponding end of a shell or cartridge indicated at 74, this cartridge being the lowermost of a stack held within the corresponding tortuous passage. The finger 68 is biased rearwardly by a coil spring 76 held within the channel between the stationary partition 65 and the flange 72. The finger 68 is adapted to be moved forwardly against the force of the spring 76 by means of a handle 78 which extends downwardly from the finger and projects through a slot 80 in the base plate 54 and a slot 81 in thebottom wall 24 of the housing.

The control finger 68 controls the retention and dispensing of the cartridges by means of retainer finger 82. This finger 82 is pivoted at its inner or rear end to a hinge rod 84 while, at its forward end, it is provided with an upstanding integral flange 86 projecting upwardly into the path of the cartridge 74 when in its normal position (as shown in FIG. 6). The finger 82. is held in its normal positionby means of the flange 76* of finger 68 which engages an inclined intermediate portion 88 of the finger 82. However, when the handle 78 is moved forward into the position of FIG. 7, compressing the spring 76, the flange 70 moves away from the inclined portion 88, thereby permitting the finger 82 to drop around its pivot. This moves the flange 86 out of the way of the cartridge which is simultaneously moved forward by the pusher flange 72.. The cartridge, as it moves forward, projects thnough a corresponding aperture 90 in a front cover plate 92 which is releasably held on the housing 16 to cover its open front face.

The cover plate 92 is preferably molded of the same material as the housing 16 and is releasably retained thereon by screws 94 which extend through corresponding holes in the cover plate and are threaded into internally threaded metallic inserts 96 and 98 provided centrally o the respective bafile members and 42.

As the cartridges project through the respective ope-nings 90, they can be easily grasped and immediately loaded into the gun. To assure that the cartridges are always projecting in the same position so that it is not necessary for the user to stop and fumble with the cartridge in order to properly load it in the gun, the filling opening 26 is made just wide enough to receive the body of the cartridge but not the flange 160 thereof. This flange 100 can only fit through the forward end of the opening defined by the extensions 30. Therefore, all the cartridges move through their respective tortuous passages in the same position and are dispensed in the same position. The tortuous nature of the passages, whereby the various baffles act to support different parts of the stack, also acts to remove a large part of the pressure on the lowermost cartridges while permitting a larger amount of cartridges to be held in the housing.

In order to provide means for attaching the carrier to the person, hooks 102 are connected to the rear wall 18 of the housing. These hooks are adapted to be engaged over a belt or the like, as in FIG. 1; however, any other desired type of attaching means can be utilized within the scope of the invention.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention'claimed is:

1. A cartridge carrier comprising a hollow housing having a filling opening at one end, a dispensing means at the opposite end, at least one tortuous passage between said filling opening rand said dispensing means, said passage being adapted to hold a stack of cartridges therein, said dispensing means being constructed and arranged to dispense the lowermost cartridge in the stack in a direction transverse to the length of said passage, an aperture in the corresponding wall of said housing to permit ejection of said lowermost cartridge from said housing in said transverse direction, said dispensing means comprising a retaining means movable into and, out of a retaining position in the path of ejection of said lowermost cartridge, said retaining means being biased away from said retaining position and into a release position permitting ejection of said lowermost cartridge, a

control means in operative engagement with said retaining means, biasing means operatively connected to said control means and biasing said control means into a holding lowermost cartridge through said aperture into a position to be grasped.

2. A cartridge carrier comprising a hollow housing havinga filling opening at one end, a dispensing means v at the opposite end, at least one tortuous passagebetween said filling opening and said dispensing means, said passage being adapted to hold a stack of cartridges therein, said dispensing means being constructed and ar- 1 being constructed and arranged to move said lowermostranged to dispense the lowermost cartridge in the stack in a direction transverse to the length of said passage, an aperture in the corresponding wall of said housing to permit ejection of said iowermost cartridge from said housing in said transverse direction, said dispensing means including a movable retaining member constructed and arranged to hold said lowermost cartridge completely within said housing, a movable control means to control the position of said retaining member, said control means cartridge through said aperture upon movement of said control means, means urging said control means into a first position to maintain said retaining member in position to 'hold said lowermost cartridge completely within said housing, and means to move said control means into a second position whereby it releases said retaining member and simultaneously moves a portion of said low- I ermost cartridge through said aperture in said housing a linearly movable finger movable in said transverse 0 direction and having a support portion engageable with References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS.

138,847 Bnabson May 13, 1873 407,303 Noble July 16, 1889 1,818,608 Ohafkin Aug. 11, 1931 2,335,646 Chalmers Nov. 30, 1943 2,789,727 Singleton Apr. 23, 1957 

1. A CARTRIDGE CARRIER COMPRISING A HOLLOW HOUSING HAVING A FILLING OPENING AT ONE END, A DISPENSING MEANS AT THE OPPOSITE END, AT LEAST ONE TORTUOUS PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID FILLING OPENING AND SAID DISPENSING MEANS, SAID PASSAGE BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD A STACK OF CARTRIDGES THEREIN, SAID DISPENSING MEANS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO DISPENSE THE LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE IN THE STACK IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF SAID PASSAGE, AN APERTURE IN THE CORRESPONDING WALL OF SAID HOUSING TO PERMIT EJECTION OF SAID LOWERMOST CATRIDGE FROM SAID HOUSING IN SAID TRANSVERSE DIRECTION, SAID DISPENSING MEANS COMPRISING A RETAINING MEANS MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF A RETAINING POSITION IN THE PATH OF EJECTION OF SAID LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE, SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING BIASED AWAY FROM SAID RETAINING POSITION AND INTO A RELEASE POSITION PERMITTING EJECTION OF SAID LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE, A CONTROL MEANS IN OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RETAINING MEANS, BIASING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CONTROL MEANS AND BIASING SAID CONTROL MEANS INTO A HOLDING POSITION WHEREIN IT HOLDS SAID RETAINING MEANS IN SAID RETAINING POSITION, SAID CONTROL MEANS BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE AND BEING HELD THEREAGAINST BY SAID BIASING MEANS, AND MEANS TO MOVE SAID CONTROL MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY RELEASE SAID RETAINING MEANS FROM ITS RETAINING POSITION AND MOVE SAID LOWERMOST CARTRIDGE THROUGH SAID APERTURE INTO A POSITION TO BE GRASPED. 